The terms "evolution", "evolutionary theory", "theory of evolution" are loosely used in the media and in texts and in lectures and speeches. But what is the reference? Below I show that at least 11 references have been used historically for these terms, and more should be used.
- E1: Darwin-Wallace Evolution, with inheritance by a genetic factor in the blood. (Aritotlean belief that sperm is blood.) However, by diffusion any recesssive genetic factors would be lost, never to reappear after a generation or two, as actually happens.
- E2: Darwin-Wallace Evolution with Mendelian inheritance by discrete factors secreted in sex cells -- but without any way of showing how this condition becomes stable.
- E3: Darwin-Wallace Evolution with Mendelian genetics and stability explained by Hardy-Weinberg Law of Population Equilibrium. (Stability after one generation in gene pool.) But cannot explain "blood types", i.e., classification of red blood cells.
- E4: Darwin-Wallace Evolution; Mendelian genetics and Non-Mendelian genetics (allowing for "blood type"); Hardy-Weinberg Equlibrium. (But no allowance for "genetic drift.)
- E5: Darwin-Wallace Evolution; Mendelian genetics and Non-Mendelian genetics (allowing for "blood type"); Hardy-Weinberg Equlibrium; Minor genetic drift (Fisher's allowance).
- E6: Darwin-Wallace Evolution; Mendelian genetics and Non-Mendelian genetics ; Hardy-Weinberg Equlibrium; Medium genetic drift (Sewall-Wright's allowance).
- E7: Neoclassic Darwin-Wallace selection (Bryan Clarke's interpretation that polymorphisms are more common that classically thought but countenanced by H-W Law); Mendelian genetics and Non-Mendelian genetics; Hardy-Weinberg Equlibrium; Medium genetic drift.
- E8: Darwinian-nonDarwinian selection; Mendelian-nonMendelian genetics; Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium; Major genetic drift.
- E9: Darwinian-nonDarwinian selection (Ohta Spectrum); Mendelian-nonMendelian genetics; Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium; Major genetic drift.
- E10: Darwinian-nonDarwinian selection, with Eldredge-Gould Punctuated Evolution; Mendelian-nonMendelian genetics (Ohta spectrum); Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium; Major genetic drift.
- E11: Darwinian-nonDarwinian selection (Ohta), with Eldredge-Gould Punctuated Evolution; Mendelian-nonMendelian genetics, with DNA coding; Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium; Major genetic drift.
This list overlooks the fact that its "randomness" uses a probability theory based upon set-theory and combinatorics which respect only type (a.k.a kind) but not order (a.k.a. degree) -- o-probability. Yet the documented evidence of evolution involves more of order than of type. Probability measure, in general, and within the Hardy-Weinberg Law, is feasible, but ignored. Consideration of this would begin at the level of E2. Hence, a possible extrapolation is sketched as follows:(If you can correct or amend or extend this list, be my guest.)
- E12 o-probability at level E2.
- E13 o-probability at level E3.
- E14 o-probability at level E4.
- E15 o-probability at level E5.
- E16 o-probability at level E6.
- E17 o-probability at level E7.
- E18 o-probability at level E8.
- E10 o-probability at level E9.
- E20 o-probability at level E10.
- E21 o-probability at level E11.
- E22 o-probability at level E12.
Problem: When "evolution" is used, which of these is its reference?